Phil
Butcher

Recent Articles by Phil
Butcher

WELCOME now my friends, to the round that never ends. That could actually describe this Round 13 of the Bartercard Cup as it struggles into it?s third (and hopefully final) week. Having a Bartercard selection (NZ Residents) playing a QRL country side and a Jim Beam Cup selection is a fantastic concept - just not in the middle of the season over two weekends.However, be that as it may, two games left in the round. Competition leaders, Auckland Lions take on the Northern Storm at Fowlds Park today. This should be little more than a training run for the Auckland side as the Northland side languish at the bottom of the table on five points. They have won a couple of games and are capable of upsetting any team - just not todayAuckland LionsDAVID FISI?IASIMALOFOU SOLOMONAMIGUEL STARTANTHONY SWANNLUI TOIMOANASTEVE BUCKINGHAM (C)DANIEL O?REGANTONY TUIALEE WETHERILLDYLAN DAVISSALA FA?ALOGOPALETASALA ALEFABIAN SOUTERREGAN WIGGEDDIE LEAVAISIONE POUHA TBANorthern StormBRENDON HIKAKADYLAN WERELINTON PRICEMASON PUREINOKE TAUFADALEY JOHNSONJOEL FREEMANFINAU MOALAHENRY GODINETHANS MASOEADAM DONALDSONVICTOR TUTUILAKAHURANGI HENAREBLAKE EWEJOE RAU ?JOSEPH TOOTU-IOANESTEVE RAUMonday nights Maori Television game is the match up between Harbour League and the Wellington Orcas at North Harbour Stadium. Not an easy game to tip, this one. Both teams are two points apart. Neither team is showing a lot of consistency and the Orcas took the points on their first meeting this year. Harbour seem to be travelling a little better now that they have veteran hooker, Sonny Cavanagh, back in the number nine jumper. Harbour by a couple.Harbour LeagueDYLAN RAMEKAJOE VAIFALESHAUN METCALFJEREMY GOLFHOPOATE TUIHALANGINGIEJARED TROTTDWAYNE GLASGOWDAMON TROTTSONNY CAVANAGHTANE HART (C)JEREMIAH PAIARTY SHEADJASON KAMARIERADANIEL BELLROCKY EDWARDSCHRIS TUPOUIVALA VAAELUAWellington OrcasDION LAULUMELI KOLIVAUTOLOVAE AUVAAOMPALUS KUADESTA BUCHANANASHLEY PARKERLEON BOYDTAYLOR PELENISEBEN TARAEKAMOSE MASOEDANIEL MISABEN MATULINOHAYDEN DAVISALEHANA MARAPAUL RUDMANJUSTIN CARNEGIEDALLAS RENNIE

SATURDAY July 1 sees the beginning of the Auckland Rugby League Lion Red Fox Memorial second round. Seven games played and seven remaining to determine the make up of the top five going into the play-offs. Fox competitions tend to very tight affairs but this one seems more so than usual and only four points separate second place to eighth place. Only the Mt Albert Lions stand out above the rest on 13 points but a quick glance at their ?for and against? shows that they haven?t exactly been flogging the others, but, like every other comp, a win by a point is still a win.It?s just too hard to pick a top five at this point. Mangere East, Papakura and Northcote all sit below the Lions on eight points. It may be pertinent to remember that two of Northcote?s points come from an East Coast Bays unregistered player indiscretion.Below these four teams, we have Te Atatu on six, East Coast Bays on five and Otahuhu and Marist on the bottom of the table, both with four points.For Auckland Rugby League, this is the first year of revamping this venerable competition, with a major step up in prize money and increased promotion, although this cynical old writer is yet to see much increase in promotion. To be fair, they have employed a full time ?Projects Manager? to work the promotions aspect and I do accept that these things often take some time. The manager is well known League identity, Gordon Gibbons, who, given time should bring some entrepreneurial aspects to the comp.Tomorrows games promise some fascinating match ups. Game of the round is undoubtedly the Mangere East v Papakura clash at Walter Massey Park. The Mangere club have been dogged by losing top players to the Counties Manukau Jetz Bartercard franchise and it?s not a hugely happy camp out in South Auckland. Papakura appear to be struggling a bit this season, but have still managed to rack up three wins.Cellar dwellers, Marist and Otahuhu hit out at Halberg Park. The Leopards are another club who have had two points deducted for not being in good order and they may find this very expensive at the business end of the season. Marist have managed a win and two draws and really are not that far off the pace.Te Atatu host Mt Albert at Jack Colvin Park. Te Atatu were the club to be in receipt of the two points removed from Otahuhu, so they are actually looking better than their two wins and five losses would suggest. They have a wily old coach in Del Hughes but I would tip another loss for them tomorrow with the Lions being on something of a roll.The North Shore derby between the Northcote Tigers and East Coast Bays Barracudas promises to provide huge entertainment and lots of fire. A true mate against mate encounter with no quarter given or received. East Coast Bays will be all out to get their points back off their neighbours.All games commence at 2.30pm.

A stunning result today for East Coast Bays when the Barracudas beat the Mangere East Hawks by sixteen points to ten. The win maintains last years Phelan Shield winners on fifth spot on the Mad Butcher Fox Memorial table. The under performing Richmond Bulldogs managed a win over the Te Atatu Roosters, Papakura cruised to a big win over the hapless Otahuhu Leopards and the Mt Albert Lions grabbed a win with an eight point margin over the Manurewa Marlins.